Budva Holidays

Must-see Montenegro

There are two big dogs on Montenegro’s holiday scene – and Budva’s one of them. This seaside spot’s the lively sidekick of take-it-easy Kotor. It’s planted on the Budva Riviera, so the sandy stuff’s in good supply. A nice-looking old town and a load of party-til-dawn clubs keep the sunbathers company. If that’s not enough, you’ve got glitzy Sveti Stefan down the road, Kotor’s half an hour away, plus you can hop across the border to Dubrovnik in two and a half hours.

Past and present

This place has a load of years under its belt – 2,500, to be precise. The Venetians were the first to put their stamp on the prime piece of real estate. Their beefed-up stone walls cuddle Budva Old Town, which is packed with churches that you’d usually see in an itsy-bitsy Italian village. It may look like butter wouldn’t melt, but Budva’s nightlife is on another level. In summer, the prom pulses with open-air bars and clubs, while the old town sorts chill-pill evenings.

Non-stop sands

Step through one of the arches in the town’s Medieval walls and you’ll land on a beach. And that’s the first of many. A 10-minute potter will get you to Mogren Beach, which is sliced in two, or there’s an even bigger belt right next to Budva’s harbour. If you’re after Insta likes, meanwhile, head for Sveti Stefan, 20 minutes’ drive away. The pink-pebble beach here even trumps Kotor as Montenegro’s most snapped site.